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because aftermarket rebuilts are just ground to a smooth surface with oversized ball-bearings installed, any case hardening is removed. But they should last quite some time before severe wear would be noticeable. I admit, there's probably no way to determine when freeplay would be detectable.

EMPI and other axle makers are actually new - so the surfaces should be properly hardened. I have used 2 of them so far and have no complaints but I admit they are still fairly new-ish.

Raxles.com and of course Subaru OEM would be other sources for new units.

I can't remember what car you have but, you could pull the stubs with the axle and see how much they wobble in the cup. Then, push the pin out, re-insert just the stub, see how much play there is in the transmission.

I know many people complain about the lack of quality with 'typical' rebuilt axles.

The stub splines don't typically wear. The fit is very loose on the stubs so the axles can easily be removed without damaging the snap rings that hold the stubs in the differential. There is also clearance between the stub and differential carrier for oil to lubricate the stub bearing surface. A fair amount of play is quite normal, and does no harm to the axles or differential.

I think you may just be a bit paranoid. If the axle isn't clicking or wobbling while driving, sit back and enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Figures there'd be a poor design there...can't have it all, anyway. :-(

Just a lousy pin and stubby splines to drive all that.

I quite like the poor design. It makes axle service easy, no risk of damage to seals during removal or installation, no need to drain gear oil. The pins are just there to keep the cv joint from slipping off, they don't handle any substantial load during driving.

I quite like the poor design. It makes axle service easy, no risk of damage to seals during removal or installation, no need to drain gear oil. The pins are just there to keep the cv joint from slipping off, they don't handle any substantial load during driving.

yep - no different than the spline connection in the hub really. joints will fail long before the splines would be a problem. Could efseiler have gotten the wrong axles with a larger different spline count/cup?

I hand inspected one of them...the outer race 'cup' was securely fastened to the transmission stub which made be believe that the stub was not worn at all (in spite of many thousands of miles of grinding with the loose female connector).

However, after a few hundred miles of driving I re-inspected the assembly. Now the cup is slightly loose (which is exactly what I anticipated anyway).

Those aftermarket joints are probably designed that way on purpose. Soft steel without enough structural integrity. 'Planned obsolescence' is what they call it.

I'm betting that the Subaru OEM half-axles are what really are quality. When I visited the dealer once -- the parts guy actually showed me a drivetrain component that was made out of the 'toughest stuff'.

I guess one gets what one pays for....I can't afford a $350 half-axle anyway...so I suppose I just have to make do just like everyone else.

no sorry...I mean the 'inner' part (the 'cup' component that attaches to the male end of the transmisson stub)

just double checking.

most likely poorly rebuilt axles as you say. They will still probably split a boot open before they mechanically fail though.

many other people have also had good luck with EMPI from RockAuto. They are new and only a few bucks more than rebuilts. Might be a good intermediate choice between cheap rebuilts and OEM $$$$ units for you. I just installed my second one. Comes with a new spring pin and new axle nut.

or get MWE rebuilts. many people swear by them as they are properly rebuilt Subaru axles.

I have never had a wobbly EMPI axle. I check the stub to axle free play, and never had a problem. You can order them from www.rockauto.com

We put a set of EMPI axles on my friend's FWD sedan. He has a stock trans with a JDM 2.5 bolted to it and he walks bug eyes and gets walked by my08+ wrx's. These are the smallest thinnest axles subaru put on a ej. Daily beaten. no clicks, shudders, or looseness.